The Wyoming Beef Council is marking its 50th anniversary this year. 

In 1971, the Wyoming Legislature approved a statute authorizing the Wyoming Beef Council. The intent of the act was to provide the state’s cattlemen with the authority to establish a self-financed program to help market, develop, maintain and expand state, national and foreign markets for beef and beef products.  

Concurrently, individual state beef councils were popping up across America, and by the early ‘70s, there were nearly two-dozen state beef councils in existence.

One of the first official actions taken by the Wyoming Beef Council in July 1971 was to set the rate of collection at 10 cents per head at change of ownership with the funds to be used for promotion and research projects. For comparison sake, 10 cents in 1971 had the spending power of 66 cents today. 

In 1971, 1.52 million cattle roamed Wyoming’s open spaces and the annual revenue of the council was approximately $135,000.

In 1985, the National Cattlemen’s Association took the Beef Promotion and Research Act to Congress. It was passed as an amendment to the 1985 Farm Bill, and the beef checkoff program as we know it today was born.

The following year, the members of the Wyoming Beef Council applied to become the Qualified State Beef Council in Wyoming. With approval, the council began collecting $1 per head as prescribed in the Beef Promotion and Research Act. The act and subsequent order passed referendum in 1988.  Eighty two percent of Wyoming’s eligible voters weighed in and cast a very decisive 77% ‘yes’ vote.

Today, the Wyoming Beef Council continues to serve as the promotion, research and education arm of the state’s beef industry. The council’s mission is to benefit Wyoming's beef community and economy by increasing domestic and international beef demand.  

Wyoming Beef Council members represent all segments of beef production within the Cowboy State, including range cattle, dairy cattle and feedlots. 

Ann Wittmann, the council’s executive director, congratulated Wyoming’s ranching families who have had the foresight to establish a structured program that, for the past 50 years, has battled a multitude of industry issues including activist agendas, nutritional misinformation, media brutalization and other challenges.  

“Our successes are due in large part to your foresight, your preemptive planning and your contributions to a sound, accountable program that works because of the state-national partnership that you determined was important,” Wittmann said. “Good work Wyoming cattlemen and women, and happy 50th anniversary!”

The council celebrated its 50th anniversary over the summer at the Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Sheridan. The event drew almost 250 people, including multiple past board members and ag leaders from across the state. Past board member Scott George of Cody gave a presentation full of history and humor while attendees enjoyed a delicious beef dinner, and a slide show featuring the many people and programs that have made up the past 50 years played in the background.

For more information about the Wyoming Beef Council, visit www.wybeef.com.